Charli XCX’s Musical Evolution
Charli XCX has officially shifted her focus from pop to rock, marking a significant change in her musical direction. The 33-year-old artist, known for her hit single “360,” announced that she is wrapping up work on her eighth album, which she describes as a complete departure from her previous style.
In a recent cover interview with British Vogue for its May issue, Charli expressed her belief that the dance floor is no longer relevant. “So now we’re making rock music,” she said. While she hasn’t revealed a specific release date, the interview indicated that the project was completed last month.
The Success of ‘Brat’
Charli’s sixth album, Brat, made her a global sensation. Featuring a distinctive lime green cover and a party girl theme, it captured the spirit of 2024. The album earned her the British Album of the Year at the Brit Awards in 2025, along with two Grammys and a Billboard Music Award.
Despite the success of her hyperpop album, Charli admitted she wanted to move away from the dance genre for her new project. “If I’d made another album that felt more dance-leaning, it would have felt really hard, really sad,” she explained. Her husband, George Daniel from The 1975, suggested that she had “broke dance music.”
Teasing the new album, Charli mentioned her desire to “bend the possibilities of what my perspective on” rock music could be. She explored the idea of what would happen if art, which she considers one of the main loves of her life alongside her husband, was taken from her.
“How I would have no purpose, and how for good or bad, art does provide me with purpose in my life,” she added.
Challenges and New Ventures
Charli admitted that working on the album while also shooting a new film with Japanese director Takashi Miike had been “a bit of a nightmare.” During the conversation, she broke down in tears, expressing her emotional state.
“I’m overwhelmed and emotional but I’m ready to go,” she said. “My body isn’t handling it very well.”
The star also described working on her new album as a reset after Brat catapulted her to new levels of fame. She revealed that she gave herself nerve damage in her neck from performing on the Brat tour.
Last year, Charli released the soundtrack to Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, which received critical acclaim. The Independent’s Helen Brown gave the album five stars, describing it as a “windswept, gothic triumph.”
She also ventured into acting, playing herself in her mockumentary The Moment earlier this year, and taking on roles in Gregg Araki’s erotic comedy I Want Your Sex, thriller The Gallerist, and upcoming horror Faces of Death.
For more insights into Charli XCX’s journey and other stories, check out the full feature in the May issue of British Vogue, available via digital download and on newsstands from Tuesday 21 April.
